Cushion connection for vehicle construction



A. F. MASURY AND A. H. LEIPERT. CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLECONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1920.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

stares- FFHEQ anranro r. MASURY AND anensr H. LEIPERT, or new rear, N.Y., assronoas T0 rnrnmmrronan MOTOR oomran or new YORK, N. Y., A.oonronarron or nnnawnanc CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 311, 1922.

Application filed May 27, 1920. Serial No. 384,605.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, ALFRED F. MASURY and AUoUsT H LEIPERT, citizens ofthe United States, and residing, respectively, in the borough ofManhattan and in the borough of Queens of the city of New York, in theState of New York, have jointly invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cushion Connections for Vehicle Construction, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming a part hereof.

In the auto-motive art to date it is the practise to make allconnections between moving elements of a mechanical character andusually, as metal to metal. Spring shackles, universal joints andusually involve the connection of metal to metal with the resultingwear, breakage, cost, problems of lubrication and noise. In some placesit is proposed to lubricate these connections so as to minimize the wearand eliminate noise so far as possible. The principal object of thepresent invention is to eliminate such metallic connections inautomobile structure and to provide in place thereof a form of cushionnon-metallic connection which will be sufficiently strong mechanicallyto bear the stresses and yet which will notrequire lubrication and willnot be subject to the frictional wear and and in upkeep. The embodimentillustrated herein shows the application of the invention to one type ofconnection employed in automobiles between springs and frame. Theillustrated embodiment also shows the use of a relatively stifffabricated block, the base of which may be of rubber or other resilientmaterial which may be impreg-- nated with cords or the like to formessentially a fabricated structure which, while yielding, possessesstrength and durability.

Referring to the drawings Figure '1 is a diagrammatic .view of so muchof the wheel and frame of an automobile as is necessary for anunderstanding clevices and looking in the direction of the arrows.

As this description proceeds it will be evident that the invention isbroader than the illustrated embodiment thereof, since the improvedyielding connection will be useful at any point in an automobile wherepower is transmitted from one metallic unit to another. As shown inFigure 1, the vehicle spring a serves as the support for the frame Z)and it is the usual practise to interconnect these metallic parts bymeans of metal spring shackles. These shackles cannot be efiicientlylubricated and inmost instances no attempt is made to lubricate themwith the result that the wear of metal on metal quickly causes thedisintegration of the shackles and often results in unpleasant noise.Further, there is, of course. nothing in the nature of the shackleitself which would tend to improve the resilient character of the springsuspension. In accordance with the present invention it is proposed toovercome the disadvantages of a metallic shackle connection betweenvehicle springs and the frame by connecting the springs in one way oranother, but through a yielding unit, to the frames. This might be donein many different ways involving forces of either compression or tensionor both. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, one way of interposing such acushion connection is by clamping a fabricated block 0 in a suitablehousing 0! carried with the side frame member b and extending the springa directly into the body of said block. For convenience in assemblingand disassembling the housing 03 may be formed with a removable capsection d adapted to be secured to the housing by means of bolts 6. endof the spring a is engaged with the block 0 in the manner described andillusfirmly connected to the side frame members When the and transmitsroad shocks of either compression or tension upward or downward on thebody of the block 0 according to their direction. The block isconstantly under compression. The block 0 is of such character as tosupport the frame I) in such manner as to minimizeside sway and absorblateral stresses transmitted through the j of non-metallic material isintroduced between the spring and the frame. No lubrlcation of theconnection is required. The Wear is even less than that on metal tometal, the initial cost is as little as that of metal and the upkeep isless. No noise can come from such a fabricated connection.

The invention in its full scope will appear from the appended claims.

We claim as our invention 1. A wholly non-metallic connection andsupport interposed between two metallic parts of a motor vehicle, one ofwhich parts is t be connected to and supported by the other of saidparts, comprising a block of non-metallic yielding material, andconnecting means to secure the block positively to one of said parts andhold it against displacement with respect thereto, the other of saidparts being connected to the block independent of said connecting means.

2. In combination with the spring and frame of a motor vehicle, a whollynon-metallic mechanical connection and support interposed between an endof the spring and the frame and comprising a block of non-metallicyielding material engaged with the end of the spring, and a housing forthe block secured to the frame and confining the block to hold itagainst displacement with respect to the frame, one side of the housingbeing open to admit the end of the spring freely.

3. In combination with the spring and frame of a motor vehicle, a whollynonbeing connected to the block independent of said connecting means 4.A wholly non-metallic connection and support interposed between twometallic parts of a motor vehicle, one of which parts is to be connectedto and supported by the other of said parts, comprising a block ofnon-metallic yielding material, and means on one of said parts tosupport and confine said block under compression at all times and holdit against displacement with respect thereto, the other of said partsbeing connected to the block independent of said means.

5. A wholly non-metallic mechanicalconnection and support interposedbetween the spring and frame of a motor vehicle, and comprising a blockof rubber engaged with the spring, a housing secured to the frame andholding said block against displacement with respect thereto, and a capsecured to the housing and retaining said block within the housing andconfining it under compression at all times, one side of the housingbeing open to receive the spring.

6. As an article of manufacture, a rubber block of yielding materialadapted to be supported on the frame of a motor vehicle and having arecess to receive the end of a spring and adapted to be supported on theframe under compression and connect the spring with the frame.

This specification signed this 13th day of May A. D. 1920.

ALFRED F. MASURY. AUGUST H. LEIPE'RT.

